Last month, The Sunset Project was honored to announce Lindsay Donajkowski of Alpena, Michigan as one of six Sawyer J. Boyd Creatives Grant Recipients for 2024!
After the awards ceremony, we sat down with Lindsay to discuss her unique story, why she applied, and what she hopes to utilize her funding for!
Can you introduce yourself quickly to those who may not know you already?
Hello! My name is Lindsay Donajkowski and I’m an artist based out of Alpena, MI
with a focus on painting and graphic design.
How would you describe your creative pursuit to someone unfamiliar with it?
Generally, I describe my art as very unique, eye-catching, and colorful, often
employing floral, botanical, or expressive designs. I’ve found that I enjoy my finished projects more when I let my creativity run free, and I avoid planning out my paintings as much as possible. When it comes to graphic design though, I turn into the exact opposite archetype, and I measure and tweak every little element, down to the thickness of each line. I love working with others to execute their design goals, and it’s exciting to see my designs come to life throughout different projects.
What or who inspired you to pursue a career in this space?
I come from a very creative family, so I feel like I’ve always been surrounded by art,
whether it’s been from my parents, grandparents, or various aunts and uncles. I
think this definitely shaped my interest in pursuing different art projects, and my
family has always been nothing short of supportive my entire life, especially my
mom. Not many people know this, but my mom is actually a very talented artist, and I’ve always been inspired by her and her artwork.
Along with my mom, my aunt is a very artistic individual as well, and she was always introducing me to different creative experiences throughout my childhood, from fine art painting to live theater, and even designing/planning events. I think that because of this, I’ve always had an immense love for the arts and a great deal of respect for all different art forms.
Can you share a memorable experience or milestone from your creative journey?
I’ve definitely had so many memorable milestones throughout my creative journey, but one of my favorites is the experience I had live painting at this year’s Flower Festival. It was not only a spectacular and beautiful event, but it was so rewarding to have people seek out local artists like myself to watch the paintings come to life, and everybody I spoke to was so positive and receptive to my work which was incredibly rewarding.
How have challenges or setbacks shaped your approach and vision?
Like most people, I truly believe that the challenges and setbacks I’ve faced have
only made my artistic approaches stronger and more worthwhile. Of course, I’ve
had various challenges within the realm of my artistic journey, but I genuinely feel
so blessed and fortunate to have an overall positive experience throughout my
different creative pursuits. I think the challenges that have affected my approach
and vision the most relate back to more personal, familial challenges. At the risk of
being vulnerable and transparent for a moment, I want to talk about my family a
little bit more and mention that I’ve lost a few close family members in the past year, which has been especially difficult as I come from a tight-knit family.
Naturally, this hindered my creative ambitions for a while; but now, I feel like it has almost enhanced them. My family members have always been my biggest fans when it comes to my art, so it was heartbreaking that they all couldn’t be there for all the new, exciting projects I was pursuing. However, because of this, I feel like the art I create now channels so much inspiration from my family, and is made with so much love in order to continue making them proud.
How do you envision your creative passion evolving over the next year?
In the next year, I see myself developing even more artistic and professional skills in my last year of education at Michigan Technological University where I will graduate in the spring. On an even more exciting note, I envision myself striving to achieve more milestones such as creating a functional website in order to sell and market my products, as well as becoming a first time vendor at some local art fairs. I’m beyond excited for this next year, so be sure to look out for more exciting news from me in the near future!
How do you plan to utilize your grant funding to further your creative journey?
I plan to utilize my grant funding by purchasing an art-specific printer in order to
have the ability and luxury to not only print my own products, but to logistically run my business from Houghton, MI, which is where I live during the academic year. Additionally, I will be using any leftover funds to purchase packaging materials to further enhance the professionalism of my products.
What advice or message would you share with someone looking to pursue their own creative dreams?
I think I could talk for hours about this, but my one piece of advice for now is to not ignore your passions and just go for it (which sounds easier than it is!). I say this because I spent so long trying to deny that I wanted to pursue the arts in a career- oriented way because I didn’t think it was a “legit” enough option, which is completely untrue.
It’s obviously scary to go all in with these kinds of things and it can absolutely take time, but when you look back and see how far you’ve come and what you’ve accomplished, it feels so surreal and rewarding. Be brave, be vulnerable, ask questions, and most importantly, follow your passions.
Are there any social media profiles, websites, or other resources where our readers can follow your journey and/or support your work?
Absolutely! I currently have an Instagram account where I try to showcase my
artwork (@lindsayjane.art) and a digital portfolio website
(ljdonajkowski@myportfolio.com), but keep an eye out for updates about my
website in the works!
Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience,
dreams, or the impact of The Sunset Project on your creative pursuits?
I feel so unbelievably fortunate to be a recipient of not only this grant, but this
opportunity itself, and I want to extend my deepest thanks to the entirety of The
Sunset Project. The individuals who are the heart and soul of The Sunset Project
have already provided me with so much guidance and confidence, and I am ecstatic to see how this mentorship can foster my creative growth as well as other amazing recipients.
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